Fun Manipulative Found at Target's Dollar Spot

If it's the end of July....It's time to check out Target's Dollar Spot for great classroom materials.  I receive no compensation for this.  I just love to share good finds with other teachers!

Today I picked up five bags... yes for a whopping five bucks... of these cool toys:

There are 28 pieces in a bag.  They are advertised as being for children four years and up. These colors were packaged for "girls" and there were primary colored ones for "boys."  I chose these ones because I like the fun colors.    

This is what five bags (140) look like in one of those large school supply boxes:

These toys are great for fine motor development.  They are not hard to snap together or to take apart.

They could be used to make patterns.

They can also be snapped together verically (sorry for the fuzzy picture).

I plan to use them for counting, color sorting, and as a construction toy during free choice centers.

Blessings,

Eilis

Dollar Store Finds

It's been a while since I have treasure hunted at the Dollar Tree.  A few days ago, I stopped by for some dice, but came home with a lot more....

These two counting posters ($1 for the pair) match my classroom perfectly!  The kids and I both love the Count by 2's one.  It gives such a good visual to go along with this skill.  The count to 100 poster can also be used as a game.  I plan to use it this way during our 100th day of school activities.  (Sorry about the  shine, but I had laminated these before I got around to taking pictures...)

I do still have a traditional 100 chart poster for counting left to right and counting by tens, but the new one adds some variety.

I also picked up these two puzzles.

This game offers directions for two players and fun exposure to color words.

And for frosting on the cake...

Foam sight word dice (a little bigger than a one inch cube) and a two minute timer. I will be making some center games for these this week :).

There are just a few days left to sign up for the  Valentine Exchange!

Blessings,

Eilis

Free Printable Nonsense Words to Throw in the Trash

Walmart has these cute little trash cans in their Back to School section.  They are intended to be pencil holders and cost a dollar each.

I couldn't resist making some Real and Nonsense Words to use with them.  Just click the link if you would like the free printable words.  I printed mine on colored card stock. The kids will put the "real" cvc words in the pocket chart and the "nonsense" words in the trash can.

The Pocket Chart is from Target's Dollar Spot.

If you find this helpful, I'd love for you to comment here!  Facebook likes are also appreciated!

And. . . . Dr. Jean's Free Webinar is today.

Eilis

More Loot from Target Dollar Spot

In my previous post I shared my excitement about recent back to school finds at Target's Dollar Spot.  I mentioned that I was still looking for some word puzzles that Fran from Kindergarten Crayons had found there.
Well.... I am so happy I persisted.  I have lived in the Dallas area since August.  I have no sense of direction and am terrible at finding my way around unfamiliar places.  Thank goodness there is an app on my phone called Waze.  It is my new best friend.  Yesterday, after using it to find an appointment, I used it to find another Super Target close to the appointment . . . . jackpot!

These puzzles are three dollars each.  I didn't expect too much because the boxes are the usual flimsy cardboard.  I was pleasantly surprised by the sturdy puzzles inside though.  The pictures and colors are fun. Each puzzle is also reversible.  Each picture above shows one side of same set.

The two photos above are from the letters and numbers set. Cute and educational - my favorite combination!

No picture of the reverse side of the four letter puzzles, but I think you get the idea....

I also picked up a few more of the one dollar puzzles.  They are small, but as I mentioned previously, they will fit in tubs.  The pieces are nice and sturdy.  Thank you Crayola!

Two minutes and a Sharpie turn this ocean animal puzzle into an ABC center activity.

And a few more fun dollar items... How cute are the alphabet sticky notes and matching note pad?

One more fun thing to share...

I found this near the check out lane.  No they didn't have Eilis... but they did have Kate.  My college freshman daughter loved it!

I love to read your comments :)

Eilis

Spotted at Target Dollar Spot

I have been checking my local Target's Dollar Spot without success so far this summer.  Today, Fran from Kindergarten Crayons shared her recent purchases from Target.  I was VERY jealous.  Did I just stew on it?  Goodness no.  I drove to a Super Target in the next community.  It's all good (to quote a smart cat).

Here's my loot:

My favorite color of pocket charts! Thank you Target!
The self inking stamps were $3, but hey- these little things make teachers so happy.
I still need a few more colors of the little buckets (hoping they are available in red and pink....) because I want to do Pinteresty buckets full of one color of crayons.
The puzzles are smaller than they were in past years.  I almost left them there until I realized how nicely they would fit in tubs....  Now I want more of them....
No sign of the connect a word puzzles though.  I guess I'll be trekking back to Target again very soon.

Almost forgot... these cute owls were also a Dollar Spot find:

There were six each of four colors, so I filled in the blank spaces with numbers, number words, tally marks, and dots (1-6).  There is a dice game in the making, but I haven't quite come up with the rules yet....Suggestions welcome.

I'd love to hear about your back to school bargain finds!

Hugs,
Eilis

UPDATE:  MORE GREAT FINDS

Another Dollar Store ABC Center

I have just returned home from a wonderful week in Key West with my husband.  It was a week of firsts for me.  First jet ski ride, first trip on a sea plane... I also got to snorkle, which I love to do!  Can you believe that when my suitcase was ripped badly while checked, Southwest Airlines replaced it with a new suitcase on the spot?!  I have to say that was some pretty amazing customer service!

Back to my new ABC center activity...
I am just crazy enough that I stopped in a a Dollar Tree in Florida to see if they had any different stuff.  I picked up this package of alphabet letters on a train.  Of course, this is intended to hang on a classroom wall. I will be laminating it and cutting the cars apart.  I can use it in a whole group activity where the kids take one letter each and put themselves in the right order.  Later, it will be an abc order puzzle in a center. I may also have the kids put an item that starts with the correct letter on each train car. Simple I know, but it costs a lot less than a commercially made puzzle or printing something similar with color ink...

Hugs,
Eilis

Dollar Store Day

If it's July, it must be time to start haunting the dollar store for classroom bargains....

Here's what I found at the Dollar Tree today.  (Target, if you are listening....please load up my local Dollar Spot with classroom goodies soon....)

A pack of 20 foam circles (about 6 inches).  I wrote the numbers 1-20 on them in Sharpie marker.  I will pass them out to students to put the numbers in order (as a whole group activity).  I will also have the kids put the specified number of manipulatives on each circle in a math center.

Five (one dollar each) frog bath mitts for acting out Five Green Speckled Frogs at the beginning of the school year. Who can resist those grins?

I have walked by these foam puzzles before, but plan to put the letters in a bag and have kids pull them out of the bag and place them in the frame as a beginning of the year ABC center.  The kids could color this oldie but goodie printable from GrowinginPreK.com for accountability (and fine motor skills).  Click HERE for the free printable:

The original post is HERE

And... happy dance to find lots of the primary lined journals with room for pictures for a dollar each!

Last but not least... These plastic flip top jars were two for a dollar.  I think they will do double duty.  I will use them to hold smelly items for science during a Five Senses unit.  The kids will also count items in them for a beginning of the year math activity.  I need to stop thinking about it or I will go back for more than I have already bought!

Have you found any great bargains yet this summer?

Hugs,

Eilis

Dollar Deals

I love scouting for dollar deals over the summer break!  Look what I found at Dollar Tree this week:

 

Shapes & Color Bingo

Even if you have something similar in your classroom, this affordable 

game could go in a take home literacy bag.

 

Tactile Letters

 (The paper is lighter weight than you would find at a teacher supply store, but still quite a find for a buck!) 

 Paper clock with moving hour and minute hands.

This could be used on a calendar wall.  I have also seen classrooms on Pinterest where the times for lunch, recess, and dismissal where displayed on the wall with similar clocks.

Monster Time card matching game.

The clocks reflect hours, half hours, and quarter hours.

This game is labeled for first and second grade, but I know kindergartners who could play it.

Happy Shopping,